Improvement in lock-work attachments to clocks



R. T. ANDREWS.

LOCKWORK ATTACHMENT T0 CLOCKS, No.171,496. Patented Dec. 28, 1875.

- Fig-2.-

N- FETERS, PHOTDLITHOGRAPHERI WASHINGTON. D C, I

UNITED STATES PATEN 'QFFICEi EANDAL' T. ANDREWS, oETHoMAsToN, CONNECTICUT, A-S-SIGNOR To THE SETH THOMAS OLOOK COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN LOCK-WORK ATTACHMENTS TO CLOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 1 71,496, dated December 28, 1875; application filed December 7, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BANDAL T. ANDREWS, of Thomaston, (formerly called Plymou th,) Litchfield county, in the State of Connecticut, have invented certain Improvements Relating to Striking-Clocks, of which the following is a specification: I

' Many efforts have been made to provide the otherwise ordinary American or Yankee clock with means for allowing the minute-hand to be set backward at any point in its revolution, and to any desired extent, without injury. I provide therefor, by means which are simple and reliable, and which do not require to spring or severely strain any part.

The accompanying figures represent the parts which involve the novelty, with so much of the other parts as is necessary to indicate their relation thereto.

Figure 1 is a cross-section, and Fig. 2 an edge view.

The added diagram on a larger scale shows the motion of the parts in passing each other. The short thick arrows show the motion when the hands are turned backward. The long and narrow arrows show the motion when the parts are moved forward again to attain their original position.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

A is the fixed framework of brass or other suitable material. B is the rocking-shaft, on which is fixed the lifting-piece B corresponding to the ordinary lifting-piece, and also the lever B adapted to perform its ordinary func tion of lifting the counting-pawl, not fully represented, and thereby rocking its shaft and lifting the ordinary stop-pawl, which engages with the ordinary stop-wheel. O is a spring mounted on the fixed frame-work A, and Standing in a position to come in contact with the lever or arm B at the point represented whenever the latter sinks too low. M is the shaft or spindle of the minute-hand. It carries a lifting-hook, N, adapted to perform "its ordinary function. All these parts, as also all the other parts not represented, may be of the ordinary construction and arrangement, except in the points now to be described.

One side of the shaft M, toward the liftinghook M, is filed or milled away, as indicated at m. Then for any reason I turn the clock backward at such times and so far as to present the lifting-hook M on the reverse side of the lifting-piece B in position to press it against the shaft M, the latter permits the hook to move past by gliding through the recess m, which is then presented favorably for such motion. Immediately upon its being moved past the shaft the spring 0 touches the lever B and commences to resist its further motion. If the turning of the clock backward is carried still further, the lifting-hook M will disengage from the piece B and the latter.

will instantly move forward, by the force of the spring 0, and assume a position in contact, or nearly in contact, with the spindle M, but on the wrong side thereof. When, by the next forward rotation of the spindle M, the lifting-hook M comes again in contact with the lifting-piece B the cavity m again allows the point of the lifting-piece B to move past with a forward motion, and all the parts are again in their ordinary positions.

The cavity m is of no effect in the ordinary working of the clock, except to allow the lifting-piece B and its connections to drop harmlessly a little farther than usual in the ordinary operation of the clock. When thecavity m is presented it allows the lifting-piece B and its connections to drop down farther than usual; but it is received and arrested by the lifting-hook M, which takes charge of it, and proceeds to move forward or liftit and initiate the striking again in the ordinary Way.

The cavity min the shaft M may be used with some success, without the spring 0, by

taking care to balance the liftingpiece and its connections, so that the pointof the liftingpiece 13 will always incline to remain near the shaft M. I prefer, however, to allow the weight of the lifting piece and its connections to bear against the shaft in the ordinary manner, as above provided, and Whenever the point has been moved much past the shaft by the turning of the minute-hand backward bringit.

again to, or near, the shaft M by the force of the spring 0. This spring should be so proarm B when the lifting-piece B has, by a backward motion of the hands, been carried past the shaft M.

I claim as my invention- 1. The shaft M, formed with a recess, m, in combination with the lifting-hook M, and liftin g-piece B and its connections, and arranged to serve relatively thereto, as herein specified.

2. The spring 0, in combination with the lifting-piece B and its connections, arranged and operated relatively to the recessed shaft M m, and to the lifting-hook M, as and for the purposes herein specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 4th day of December, 1875, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RANDAL T. ANDREWS. Witnesses:

WM. T. WOODRUFF, A. P. BRADSTREET. 

